Man accused of being a member of vicious gang in Kirinyaga lynched

KIRINYAGA, Kenya, Jun 21- A 18-year-old was on Sunday lynched by an irate mob in Kutus town, after he was linked to the outlawed gang called Wicame.

The man, only identified as Eric, was nabbed by the mob during a botched robbery incident in the area, police and witnesses told Shahidi News.

Police said the gang had targeted a wholesale shop when locals, who were attracted by the commotion swiftly joined in and thwarted their plans.

“Some of the gang members managed to escape,” a witness told Shahidi News.

Before he was burnt to death, the man was asked to name his accomplices.

“This is a firm warning to other members of this gang,” another witness said.

Mwea East Sub-county Police Commander Daniel Kitivo urged resident to avoid taking up the law into their own hands, and instead to hand over such suspects to police, for them to be arraigned.

“They were three suspects but only one was cornered by members of the public and lynched,” he said of the incident.

In four weeks alone, 12 members of the gang have been arrested and charged in court.

According to the police boss, most of the members are masquerading as bodaboda riders.

“They are committing all manners of crimes including petty theft, but they should be arrested so that they can face the law,” Kitivo said.

Members of the gang have been stealing from locals including students of the Kirinyaga University. They have also been accused of raping women.

Some locals have survived knife stabs during incidents of stealing by the gang members.

Such victims include Amos Mwangi, a resident within the town, who was brutally attacked by members of the gang as he was going about his daily activities.

“I was stabbed with a knife at the back of my shoulder while wrestling a few of them who were trying to steal from a cyber cafe,” he said during an interview with Shahidi News.